Cape Times

Lexus LBX ‘Morizo RR’ gets the 224kW heart of the GR Corolla

LEXUS has just transforme­d its LBX compact crossover into something of a baby bombshell with the release of the “Morizo RR” performanc­e model.

Sadly, it appears that this little firecracke­r will be yet another object of JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) envy, as for now Lexus is only building 100 of them for its home market. Further to that it’s available only through a special lottery that will ultimately determine who gets to buy one.

Of course, there’s a lot more to the LBX Morizo RR than just a shouty body kit.

The Japanese luxury brand has dropped the Toyota GR Corolla’s 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbopetro­l engine into the engine bay to create something that’s somewhat unique in its class.

Paired with either an “intelligen­t” six-speed manual (IMT) or eight-speed automatic gearbox, the engine pushes 224kW and 400Nm through all four wheels via an electronic­ally controlled full-time all-wheel drive system.

Lexus claims a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 5.2 seconds, but the emphasis appears to be on overall dynamics as much as it is on performanc­e.

To that end, the Morizo RR features a bespoke suspension set-up, with the front lower arms featuring the company’s new ResponseEn­hancing

Damping Structure (REDS), a world first.

Visually it’s distinguis­hed by 19-inch forged wheels as well as wheel arch mouldings and unique front and rear bumper designs.

Inside it features bespoke sports seats, aluminium pedals and unique interior accents.

However, there is a “Bespoke Build” programme for the vehicle, through which clients can curate their own unique vehicle from a wide range of options. These include special custom options such as brake callipers in Morizo’s signature yellow.

The edition was built in honour of Toyota’s petrolhead chairperso­n Akio Toyoda, who is nicknamed Morizo when behind the wheel of a race car.

“With the LBX Morizo RR, our focus was on refining the motorsport­s based powertrain developed by GR while ensuring it is still infused with the distinctiv­e Lexus refinement,” said racing driver Masahiro Sasaki, who was involved in its developmen­t.

“Through agile developmen­t and extensive testing, both the car and the people involved in its creation experience­d significan­t growth.

“We remain committed to crafting Lexus vehicles filled with excitement and playful spirit that car enthusiast­s like Morizo will find truly exhilarati­ng,” Sasaki concluded.